![Propo'88 And BlabberMouf - From The Top Of The Stack LP [Da Shogunz]](https://www.britishhiphop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/propo88_and_blabbermouf-from_the_top_of_the_stack-frontpage.jpg)
These guys have made the album of the year. Completely infectious lyrically and produced, mixed and engineered to perfection by the soon to be legendary DJ Propo’88. The story of Dutch Hip Hop began in the 80s with emcees rapping in English which was mostly wack. Later, emcees like Brainpower and Extince starting rapping in their native tongue, Dutch, and became household names from the popularity of this Hip Hop movement.
Later still came Opgezwolle, who revolutionized rapping in Dutch. They had simply evolved it to a higher skill level and something perhaps more ‘authentically Hip Hop’ than what had come before.
Enter Da Shogunz crew coming straight outta Utrecht (or at least, partially based there)… Set to change the face of European Hip Hop forever, this six man crew consisting of two emcees and four producers have written their own blueprint for how a Hip Hop record should sound in 2012. People unfamiliar with their sound will immediately reference the gritty mid 90s style boombap production and the inevitable comparisons of BlabberMouf to Chip-Fu from the mighty Fu-Schnickens crew. Although valid, these comparisons cease to mean much in the face of such solid craftsmanship and undeniable flows and lyricism.
BlabberMouf has also made big waves in the Dutch scene with his other crew, Het Verzet, who are rapidly establishing themselves as the underground favourites rapping in both Dutch and English, and also dropped their debut album, Greatest Shits, this year.
With this album, the quality of the product does not stop at the music either – the CD packaging has incorporated a unique design – a wooden CD case with the artwork and tracklist burned onto it with lasers (see video). Da Shogunz are setting a standard for innovation and musical quality which is going to a very tough act for anyone else to follow.
Do I need to describe the actual tracks? If you have read this far, you will already be checking the music and waking yourself up to the crew of the moment…
Buy the CD or digital now, and when the vinyl drops… well let’s just say you better move fast!
By: Esh | IBMCs on Facebook